Vibratory finishing apparatus



fi 25 i967 D. E. ROBERTS VIBRATORY FINISHING APPARATUS Filed May 25, 1964 ma M M@ 32%* United States Patent() 3,315,417 VIBRATORY FINISHING APPARATUS Donald E. Roberts, 141 Rice Ave., Bellwood, Ill. 60104 Filed May 25, 1964, Ser. No. 370,002 3 Claims. (Cl. 51-163) This invention relates generally to vibratory finishing apparatus and more particularly to'means for unloading finished workpieces from such apparatus.

Vifbra-tory finishing apparatus is generally preferred to tumbling apparatus vbecause the former eleminates the cascading of the workpieces and finishing medium that is characteristic of the latter. The finishing action in the vibrat-ory .type apparatus is therefore more gentle. Moreover, the time cycle invibratory finishing is substantially less than it is in tumbling finishing. However, the work vessels or drums of conventional vibratory finishing apparatus are adapted to be charged with media and workpieces to near brim full. When steel shot is used as the finishing medium, the charge presents a formidable weight for manual manipulation, frequently on the order of 500 to 700 pounds. Such a load has proved to be too heavy to dump easily for separating the workpieces from the medium; and the workpieces are therefore frequently extracted by some process of fishing them outof the mediums. Many times, this procedure leaves certain numbers of the workpieces behind in the medium. On the other hand, if the charge is dumped from the drum :after finishing, the steel shot, being comparatively fine and substantially spherical, is easily discharged onto the door to be lost. Since the shot is expensive, its loss adds unnecessarily to the costs of fiinishing the workpieces.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide vibratory finishing apparatus that is specifically arranged for separating the workpieces from the finishing medium inside the vessel thereofafter finishing and preparatory to extracting the Workpieces from the apparatus.

A more general lobject of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for surface treating a charge of workpieces.

Another object of the invention is to provide vibratory surface treating apparatus that is easy to manipulate for discharging finished workpieces.

Still another object of the invention is to provide vibratory surface treating apparatus that is arranged to confine the finishing medium throughout the entire operating cycle and which thereby prevents loss of the medium.

These and other objects and features of .the invention will become more apparent upon la consideration of the following disclosure.

Apparatus in accord with the invention includes a substantially closed vessel having a medial plane and a laterally opening aperture disposed closely adjacent the medial plane. This vessel is shaped and adapted to contain on one side of the medial plane a charge of workpieces and particulate surface-treating medium during vibratory processing and to define a headspace on the opposite side of the medial plane which headspace is of sufficient volume to receive substantially the total amount of the charged medium upon inverting of the vessel. A pivot -arrangement is provided for 'the vessel, and a vibratory drive is connected to the vessel. In addition, a foraminous tray is |withdrawably mounted within the vessel with its bottom disposed normally upwardly where rotation of the vessel, upon completion of vibra-tory processing, serves to transfer the medium from one portion of the vessel to the other across the medial plane thereof, the tray retaining and separating the workpieces for ready extraction through the lateral aperture formed in the vessel.

The invention, both to its construction and mode of operation, will be better understood by reference to the ICC following disclosure and drawing forming a part thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of vibratory finishing apparatus constructed in compliance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational View taken substantially through the section 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the 4apparatus of FIG. 1, taken in cross-section and showing inversion of the drum for shifting the finishing medium `into the headspa-ce in separating the medium and the workpieces;

G. 4 is a View similar to the showing of FIG. 3 but illustrating righting of the drum for dumping ra fresh charge of workpieces into mixed relationship with the finishing medium; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the paratus of FIGS. pieces.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, specifically to FIG. 1, vibratory finishing apparatus is there indicated generally by the numeral 10; and the apparatus 10 includes a drum 12 which is suppor-ted and swingably mounted to a base frame 14 by means of trunnions 16. The drum 12 is fashioned with a laterally opening aperture 18, and a tray unit 20 is slidably withdrawably mounted Within the drum in cooperation with the aperture 18. A vibratory drive indicated generally by the numeral 22 is included in the apparatus 10 for supplying suitable oscillatory and orbital forces to the drum 12.

In order to permit active vibration of the drum 12, a resilient mounting is provided between the trunnions 16 and the frame 14.` Specifically, a pair of leaf springs 24 of suitable stiffness are attached to the frame 14; and the lowermost of two cooperable horizontally split pillow blocks 26 is secured to each of the leaf springs 24. One or more releasable clamps 28 is provided with each pair of the pillow blocks 26 for use in drawing the matingly paired pillow blocks tightly together whereby to grip the corresponding trunnion 16. Thus, the drum 12 can be rigidly fastened in position relative to -the leaf springs 24; but at the same time, the tightness of this connection may be released to permit swinging of the drum about the horizontal axis which is defined by the trunnions 16. Each clamp 28 comprises a hinged, L-shaped leg and a cooperative locking bolt. The trunnions 16 are advantageously fashioned as stub shafts which are affixed to opposite sidewalls of the drum 12 by means of mounting pads 30. Thus, no shaft passes through the body of the drum to interfere with the rotary motion of the contents. If desired, shock mounts 32 may be interposed between `the ends of the leaf springs 24 and the frame 14.

Continuing with reference to FIG. 1 and giving secondary consideration to FIG. 2, the drurn 12 will be seen to comprise a normally inferior work vessel 34` and a tray used in the ap- 1-4 for extracting the finished worknormally superior catching vessel 36. The work Vessel` 34 is shaped and adapted to contain a charge of workpieces and particulate surface-treating medium, such as steel shot. On the other hand, the catching vessel 36 is dimensioned to receive substantially the total amount of the charged finishing medium when the drum 12 is inverted. Advantageously, the work vessel 34 is lined with a continuous layer 38 of a suitable elastomeric material, such as neoprene rubber, in order to provide a cushioned interior for the vessel and in order that it may be leakproof for holding surface-treating liquid in conjunction with the particulate medium.

Each of the `vessels 34 and 36 is fashioned with an opening, denoted respectively by the numerals 40 and 42 in FIG. 2. Each of these openings is encompassed externally of the vessel by a peripheral flange 44, and the openings 40 and 42 are adapted to be disposed in registration for communicating the interiors of the correspond- Patented Apr. 25, 1.967

ing vessels. At the contact between the flanges 44, the drum 12 defines a medial plane 46. So that the entire lined vessel 34 may be available for receiving the charge of workpieces and particulate medium, the lateral aperture 18 and the tray unit 20 are situated wholly above the plane 46 inthe normal position of the drum 12. Thus, during vibratory processing of the workpieces, the tray unit 20 is stored in the otherwise vacant headspace defined by the catching vessel 36. As will be described more fully hereinafter, the pivot which is established by the trunnions 16 is situated away from the medial plane 46 and eccentrically relative to the drum 12 for facility in inverting the drum during discharging and charging of the workpieces.

Continuing with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the vibratory drive 22 includes `an electric motor 48 that is mounted to frame 14 by a bracket 5f) offset laterally from the drum 12. A pulley 52 is afiixed to the output shaft of motor 48, and a power-transmitting belt 54 couples the pulley 52 with a cooperating pulley 56 that is journalled on a trunnion 16 by means of a sleeve 58. A companion pulley 60 is connected rigidly to they pulley 56 by bolting or by connection to the common sleeve 58; and a powertransmitting belt 62 drivingly couples the pulley 60 to a pulley 64 which is mounted on a spaced shaft 66, shaft 66 being rotatably mounted to the drum 12 by means of a iournal 68 and a housing 70. A suitable number of weights 72 are eccentrically mounted on the shaft 66 in such a pattern as to produce the desired type of oscillations of the drum 12 When the shaft 66 is rot-ated. Other types of vibratile drives may be employed if desired.l However, it has proved desirable to mount the major components of the vibratory drive in a position spaced a suitable distance radially from the axis `defined by the trunnions 16 in order to facilitate swinging the drum 12.

Turning to a consideration of FIG. 5, the tray unit 20 includes an imperforate side or front 74 which is shaped and dimensioned to closure the lateral aperture 18 whereby to prevent escape of the workpieces aud surface-treating medium from the drum 12. In addition, the tray unit 20 includes an open top, a perforated bottom 76 and closed sides 78, Si) and 82. The sides 74, 78, 80 and 82 provide a rigid framework for supporting the perforated bottom 76, and the bottom 76 is advantageously fabricated from screening of a suitable material the mesh of which is selected to retain the workpieces and to pass the particulate surface-treating medium. yA handle element 84 may be affixed to the front side 74 of the tray unit in order to'promote ready extraction and reinsertion of the tray unit in the drum 12. f

Considering FIGS. 2-4, the tray unit 20 is seen to be supported on track members 36 which are secured to the drum 12 in alignment with the lateral aperture 18, the track members 86 being disposed tangentially of the axis defined by trunnions 16. For convenience in inverting and righting the drum 12, one or more handle elements 88 are afiixed to the drum at suitable locations.

For purposes of affording a more complete understanding of the invention, it is advantageous now to provide a functional description of the mode in which the component parts cooperate. With reference to FIG. 1 and assuming that the drum 12 has been previously charged with a suitable quantity of a particulate surface-treating medium, such as steel shot 90, together with a quantity of workpieces to be finished, for example silver tableware 92, and assuming further that the time cycle for vibratory forming a part of this invention insofar as they fall within,

finishing has been completed, the motor 48 of the vibratory drive will be de-energized, and the residual motions resulting from the momentum of the drum and its contents will be allowed to dissipate. With the front side 74 of the tray unit 20 closuring the aperture 18, the handle 88 element will be grasped for use in rotating the drum 12 about the axis that is defined by the trunnions 16 and into the inverted position shown in FIG. 3. As is illustrated in the latter figure, the steel shot 90 comranged for swinging of said prising the surface-treatingV medium pass under the influence of gravity from the work vessel 34, through the perforated bottom 76 of the tray unit 20 and into the catching vessel 36, The fluidity of the medium cooperates with the generally rounded shape of the vessels 34 and 36, upon loosening of the clamps 28, to permit easy rotation of the drum 12 into this inverted position, the finishing medium iiowing as the drum is turned to shift the center of gravity of the drum and its contents so as to follow the direction of rotation and reduce the effort required for further increments of rotation. When thc drum 12 has achieved the inverted position shown in FIG. 3, all of the finishing medium will have passed through the perforated bottom of the tray unit since the catching vessel 36 is dimensioned to receive the entire quantity of medium from the work vessel 34. In addition, the perforations in the bottom 76 of tray unit 20 have been sized to retain the workpieces 92 for collecting the same and separating them from the finishing medium. The finished workpieces will be extracted from the drum 12 by grasping the handle 84 of the tray unit and withdrawing it from the drum, the track members 86 facilit-ating this extraction of the tray with its content of Workpieces.

To begin a new cycle, it is only necessary to fill the tray unit with a fresh batch of workpieces, inserting the tray unit through the aperture 18 with its bottom side 76 downwardly disposed. Thereupon, the drum 12 will be righted by grasping the handle element 88 and swinging the drum from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4. The finishing medium 90 will, of course, pass from the catching vessel 36 through the perforated bottom 76 of the tray unit 20 and into the work vessel 34 while the workpieces 92 mix with the finishing medium. Next, the clamps 28 will be fastened drawing the pillow blocks 26 into gripping engagement with the trunnions 16 and locking the drum 12 in its upright or working position. Thereafter, the motor 48 will be energized to rotate the shaft 66, the eccentric weights 72 thereupon producing the desired vibratory movement of the drum 12.

It will be recognized that the surface-treating apparatus 10 is arranged for easy manipulation in discharging finished workpieces. It will also be recognized that the apparatus 10 is arranged to confine the finishing medium throughout the entire operating cycle, thus preventing loss of the expensive medium. Furthermore, the apparatus 10 is capable of separating finished workpieces from the finishing medium inside the drum thereof preparatory to extracting the workpieces from the apparatus. As a consequence, the workpieces are extracted in a group and without the inclusion of any of the medium. Substantial convenience and rapid processing result.

The specific example herein shown and described is to be considered as being primarily illustrative. Various changes in structure will, no doubt, occur to those skilled in the art; and such changes are to be understood as the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. In apparatus for vibratory surface treating a of metallic workpieces, the combination comprising: substantially closed vessel means having a medial plane and a laterally opening aperture disposed closely adjacent said plane, said vessel means being shaped and adapted to contain on one side of said plane a charge of workpieces and an inert particulate surface-treating medium during vibratory processing and to define a headspace on the opposite side of said plane of sufficient volume to receive substantially the total amount of said charge; frame means; pivot means supportably mounting said work vessel on said frame means, said pivot means being arv'essel means about a horizontal axis; vibratory drive means connected to said VGSSQl means to produce an orbital motion -about said axis,

charge including vibratory means mounted on said vessel and a drive motor connected to said vibratory means, said drive motor being fastened to said frame means at a position spaced radially from said axis to facilitate swinging movement of said vessel means, and power-transmitting means impositively coupling said motor to said vessel means whereby to accommodate said swinging movement; and foraminous tray means Withdrawably mounted within said vessel means in alignment with said lateral aperture, whereby rotation of said vessel means, upon completion of said vibratory processing, transfers said medium through said tray means and into said headspace, said tray means retaining said workpieces for ready extraction thereof with said tray means through said lateral aperture.

2. The Icombination according to claim 1 wherein said vessel means has a substantially ov-al cross-section internal- 1y in the plane transverse said axis whereby to promote movement of said charge and a shift of the center of gravity thereof upon tilting of said vessel means.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 929,804 3 1909 Thompson 51-17 1,890,443 12/1932 Anstice 209-25l X 2,401,081 5/1946 Kisling 51-163 3,037,327 6/1962 Ferrara 51-163 X 3,073,079 1/1963 Balz 209-260 X 3,098,037 7/1963 Tonjes 209-260 HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner. R. HALPER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR VIBRATORY SURFACE TREATING A CHARGE OF METALLIC WORKPIECES, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED VESSEL MEANS HAVING A MEDIAL PLANE AND A LATERALLY OPENING APERTURE DISPOSED CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID PLANE, SAID VESSEL MEANS BEING SHAPED AND ADAPTED TO CONTAIN ON ONE SIDE OF SAID PLANE A CHARGE OF WORKPIECE AND AN INERT PARTICULATE SURFACE-TREATING MEDIUM DURING VIBRATORY PROCESSING AND TO DEFINE A HEADSPACE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID PLANE OF SUFFICIENT VOLUME TO RECEIVE SUBSTANTIALLY THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF SAID CHARGE; FRAME MEANS; PIVOT MEANS SUPPORTABLY MOUNTING SAID WORK VESSEL ON SAID FRAME MEANS, SAID PIVOT MEANS BEING ARRANGED FOR SWINGING OF SAID VESSEL MEANS ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS; VIBRATORY DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID VESSEL MEANS TO PRODUCE AN ORBITAL MOTION ABOUT SAID AXIS, INCLUDING VIBRATORY MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID VESSEL AND A 